


wait for it

by pkmntrashcan



Series: Bederia Week 2020 [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bederia Week, DressedinPinkShipping, F/M, Secret Crush, Soulmates, although it's subtle and only used as a setting, bederia, drama club au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:00:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22928380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pkmntrashcan/pseuds/pkmntrashcan
Summary: Day 5 | SoulmatesGloria and Bede are 16 and 17 respectively when they first meet in drama class, and at 18 it’s nearly expected they’ll stop growing up.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Series: Bederia Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642234
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50
Collections: Bederia Week 2020





	wait for it

**Author's Note:**

> [based off this prompt](https://justsoulmateaus.tumblr.com/post/188493444375/outlanderalien-geekygoddess30#notes)  
> because of course, I'm not original lOL

It’s a well-known fact that your soulmate would trigger one to age past 18. To grow old together. To live life together at the same pace.

It’s equal parts romantic and tragic and Gloria is well aware that it’s not always rainbows and sunshine following the gloomy Galar days. There are people all around who have spent their whole lives waiting to find their soulmates. Living for decades, gaining knowledge, having all these experiences--only to still look 18. 

That was upsetting.

And then there’s those who married, thinking they were the one, only to end in disappointment several years later realizing they haven’t aged a day.

That was heartbreaking.

And with the latter being her mother, the advice was always there: to make sure, but to not spend your whole life searching aimlessly. 

Because love didn’t _have_ to be everything.

And truly, Gloria was apprehensive. The fear of falling for the wrong person so stifling Gloria nearly refused to entertain any idea of falling in love before 18.

It was a strange mix of hopeful and realistic.

But there’s one fatal day in her third year that has Gloria crossing paths with a grumpy-faced blond. And that’s when she feels it: her heart skipping involuntarily, her calm demeanor shattering into something a lot more _nervous,_ and when their eyes met things just feel _different._

They felt _right._

Almost as if she belonged in his life.

And when he sits next to her in the auditorium Gloria can’t help the tiny lift in the corner of her lips.

* * *

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

“You’ve gotten taller,” Gloria comments into the night air as nonchalantly as she could muster. This was common, Bede walking her home after rehearsal, but Gloria commenting on something so _trivial..._ it catches Bede visibly off guard.

“Taller?”

She’s ignoring how her insides twist, how her throat felt lumpy, at how dismay was probably visible in her eyes. 

A quiet “mhmm” in affirmation could be heard as her head looks away from his captivating eyes.

Bede blinks his steps out of sync with hers for the first time in ever.

“That’s not possible,” he murmurs, “my birthday was weeks ago.”

And that fact is what made it worse.

Gloria’s eyes flicker to him, hoping that unlike their lines, Bede couldn’t read how her heart was shattering.

“I’ve stood next to you for an entire year, Bede,” she points out, “I, of all people, should know how tall you… _were._ ” Her voice fades out. Hands gripping at her backpack’s straps as if her life depended on it. Feet now dragging along the beaten road.

“Who do you think it is?”

It’s genuine, yet curious. 

But since Bede was her friend; her best friend at the bare minimum, her first love as a secret bonus, all she could want for him is his happiness.

Regardless of whether that included her or not.

His lips part for a split second before they’re firmly pressed together to form a tense straight line. His shoulders had stiffened, his brow furrowed. 

“I’m not sure.”

A breathy laugh escapes Gloria as her porch grows visible in the distance. 

“And you thought you would never find your soulmate,” she teases halfheartedly before a sigh leaves her. “Seems like I win that bet, huh?”

But Bede catches on rather quick. Noting how her eyes seemed moist, how her bottom lip was trembling. 

There’s a soft hand on her shoulder, as he hunches over to try to get a look at her face.

“What’s wrong?”

And the fact that she could hear the concern only made things worse.

Because to the world, Bede was cold, dismissive, far too snarky. Great actor, but one who seemed to bask in the ability to prove others wrong. 

Bede wasn’t known for being soft with anyone...but her.

He readily admitted he only trusted her.

Respected her.

Cared about her.

Opened up, to only her.

But his tender gestures only made things harder for her. She’s quick to shake her head with downcast eyes. “Nothing” chirped out as convincingly as possible, before she’s removing his gentle touch and she’s walking ahead.

“Thanks for walking me, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Walking faster and faster.

No other goal in mind than to sleep it all away. To cast aside the feelings she knew she shouldn’t have harbored. 

To walk into the afterschool program with her typical tranquility and pretend none of this ever happened.

But she feels a firm grip on her wrist forcing her to stop in place, to look back, to see Bede properly in the eyes for the first time that whole evening.

And that’s when she can’t stop it. The sniffles. The shakiness. The stray tears plopping onto her cheeks. Her face felt hot with embarrassment, hands snaking out of his hold to take her glasses off and run across her face. To hide her shame. Her heartbreak. 

She’s pulled into his warmth. The smell of earthy tea and jam filling her senses as his hand rubs slow, careful circles onto her back. He’s luckily wearing a jacket that won’t get soaked through with her tears, but her grip on him is tight. 

Trying as hard to physically let go like she should be doing emotionally.

But she’s stuck. 

Holding on securely as her sobs break out.

“Maybe it’s Marnie,” she mumbles, “or your costar Klara, you did share that stage kiss...”

He tsks, hand holding her even closer as a steady “stop it,” is heard. 

There’s a heavy pause. Gloria unable to determine if he was angry, or annoyed, but his hand on her back had stopped its caresses and instead held her against him. 

“I want it to be you.”

Through glassy eyes she pulls away enough to look at him. 

There’s a tinge of pink on his cheeks visible, his gaze flightly, she can feel his fingers fidget on her back.

“My soulmate,” he clears up, “I want it to be you.”

He sighs in the same fashion he always has when it comes to this topic. But this time Gloria notes how it’s not exasperated or exhausted about the societal pressure to find _the one._

It’s never been.

The sighs have been Bede swallowing down his own feelings everytime Gloria went on and on about how they were to turn 18 soon.

That their soulmates would stumble into their lives.

Never knowing that _she_ too was hoping it was him.

“I’ve always felt it was you,” he says quietly, hands reaching to cup her tear-stained cheeks. But there’s a faint smile on his face. A hopeful one.

And Gloria can’t help to smile in return.

* * *

  
It was a risk to say the least to date anyways as they waited for her 18th.

But the day eventually came and Gloria even swore she looked the same if not _younger._ But with a shrug, and even tighter holding onto his hand, Gloria figured all she could do was wait for that first sign.

And even if Gloria didn’t notice it Bede knew it right away.

Sure, there was no drastic height change, no sudden body modifications. 

But Gloria grew up subtly with the weeks following her birthday.

Her cheeks, which were full and squishy at 17, had toned down a smidge. He could feel it in how he pulled on them one evening--as she whined his name about being unfair. When she threw herself into his arms one day, he became very aware of how she’d filled out. More on the hips. More over her ribs. And all the more comfortable to hold.

And with every pout or smile she gave him he couldn’t help to tease, “keep doing that and you’ll get wrinkles, my dear.”

Only to have her press a firm thumb on his forehead.

“You’re one to talk, Bedey.”

But as he smirks up at her, he could see realization strike Gloria. His words settling in. Her eyes growing wide.

“Have I--” asked under her breath almost inaudibly, but his eyes are reassuring, and his hand is lifting to cup her face.

“You have.”

And that’s all she needed to hear.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Want to yell at me about Bederia?
> 
> [Twitter](http://twitter.com/pkmntrashcan)  
>    
> [Tumblr](http://pkmntrashcan.tumblr.com)  
>    
> [Bederia Tumblr](http://bede-x-gloria.tumblr.com)


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